Control is Power

[zelda-oreagan-tbd-blog]

“You’d almost think I was a Gryffindor.” She laughed, stepping inside.

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“Blasphemy!” Orion joked, following her inside. The door closed behind him and he sighed slightly, relaxing as the familiar scents surrounded him. 

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“I did say ‘almost’.” Zelda laughed, pecking his cheek.

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Orion smiled, leading her past the walls of instruments and towards the wall of music in the back. “ So, what do you usually listen to?”

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“Classical.” Zelda smiled.  “And Jazz.” she looked around as she spoke, taking it all in.

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Orion nodded, humming thoughtfully as he ran his finders over the stacks of CDs. He picked one at random, showing it to her. “ Ever heard of this one?” He asked, looking at the back. It appeared to be a mix of smooth jazz medleys from various artists. 

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Zelda looked at the cover.  “No I don’t think I have.” She admitted, walking beside him to look at the back with him.

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Orion handed it to her easily, smiling slightly. “Want to listen to it? they have a couple of stations set up” he offered, looking around for one

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“You’d almost think I was a Gryffindor.” She laughed, stepping inside.

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“Blasphemy!” Orion joked, following her inside. The door closed behind him and he sighed slightly, relaxing as the familiar scents surrounded him. 

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“I did say ‘almost’.” Zelda laughed, pecking his cheek.

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Orion smiled, leading her past the walls of instruments and towards the wall of music in the back. “ So, what do you usually listen to?”

[zelda-oreagan-tbd-blog]

“Classical.” Zelda smiled.  “And Jazz.” she looked around as she spoke, taking it all in.

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Orion nodded, humming thoughtfully as he ran his finders over the stacks of CDs. He picked one at random, showing it to her. “ Ever heard of this one?” He asked, looking at the back. It appeared to be a mix of smooth jazz medleys from various artists. 

[olympia-stiger-blog]

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Orion just sighed, looking at her sadly. He knew protesting would only make her feel worse, and that wasn’t what he wanted .  “This isn’t right” He muttered to himself, mind beginning to turn over their situation again, looking for a way out

“It’s not like I could’ve avoided detention forever,” Olympia muttered under her breath. “Some people go through this nearly every day. And here I am making such a fuss about it all. I wish I could just puff up my chest and walk in and out of there like they do. I wish I had that kind of strength.”

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Orion frowned, placing both hands on her shoulders. “ You do Oly” He said, making eye contact. “ No matter what they say about your house, the hat put you there for a reason. You are strong, even if they dont see it” He swore, wishing she could see herself the way he did. 

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Orion blinked, relieved that his sister had bought it. Now he just had to figure out how to hide the damage afterwards. He took a few seconds longer than she did to let go, releasing her reluctantly. “You never should have had this one in the first place” He said gently, hating himself for putting her in this position. 

“No, no, don’t you dare blame this on yourself,” Olympia chastised Orion. “You couldn’t have known a Professor was going to walk in like that. None of this is your fault, okay?” She didn’t want him feeling any worse than he already did. He was about to go to detention, that was far more punishment than needed. He didn’t need to beat himself up even more than he was already going to be.

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Orion just sighed, looking at her sadly. He knew protesting would only make her feel worse, and that wasn’t what he wanted .  “This isn’t right” He muttered to himself, mind beginning to turn over their situation again, looking for a way out

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Orion nodded, tensing slightly as Olympia asked about him. Deciding that there was a time and a place to be honest, he lied. “ Of course. Plumbsteel isn’t too bad. Mostly he just taunts and then gives you a few bruises.” Orion assured her, closing his eyes. It was a lie of course. He had never come out of a detention with Plumbsteel without a few new fractures and plenty of cuts. But he was used to hiding it, and was determined not to let his sister worry over this. 

Olympia felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. At least Orion would be alright. “Good,” she nodded. “Good. If anything awful happened to you too I don’t think I could bear it.” Olympia finally calmed down enough to release her hold of her brother. “After tonight it will all be over and hopefully I’ll never have to have another detention again.”

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Orion blinked, relieved that his sister had bought it. Now he just had to figure out how to hide the damage afterwards. He took a few seconds longer than she did to let go, releasing her reluctantly. “You never should have had this one in the first place” He said gently, hating himself for putting her in this position. 

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Orion sighed, unsure of what to tell her. He was no stranger to detention, usually after defending Olympia. He wasn’t sure how many of those she knew about however. “ It depends. Du’Lac isn’t that bad” He said, before adding, “objectively at least. All he cares about is getting it over with” Orion said, hating that he had to tell her this. “ Just - don’t try to talk back.” He didn’t tell her that she would be getting the easier time out of the two of them. “ Du’lac likes to throw you around sometimes. Just don’t tense and try not to expose any vital arteries. It’ll be okay”

Olympia hugged her brother even tighter as he gave her an idea of what she was about to go through. Don’t expose vital arteries? How much was she going to bleed? Although this wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear, she was grateful for her brother’s honesty. “Thank you,” she said. She lifted her head off of his chest and looked up at her brother. “I won’t talk back. I rarely ever do, and I would never do so with a professor.  I’ll try my best to stay calm, but I can’t make any promises there. What about you? Will you be alright with Plumbsteel?”

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Orion nodded, tensing slightly as Olympia asked about him. Deciding that there was a time and a place to be honest, he lied. “ Of course. Plumbsteel isn’t too bad. Mostly he just taunts and then gives you a few bruises.” Orion assured her, closing his eyes. It was a lie of course. He had never come out of a detention with Plumbsteel without a few new fractures and plenty of cuts. But he was used to hiding it, and was determined not to let his sister worry over this. 

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Orion fell silent, just hugging her. he didn’t have any answers, every thing she was saying was true. Orion spent so much time making sure that his sister was never harmed, and now he was the reason that she would suffer. “ You will survive” He answered at last. “ We are the Stigers and we will survive”

Olympia clung to her brother. “I know,” she bit her lip. “Orion, how many detentions have you had? It’s been so long since mine that I’ve forgotten what they’re like.” 

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Orion sighed, unsure of what to tell her. He was no stranger to detention, usually after defending Olympia. He wasn’t sure how many of those she knew about however. “ It depends. Du’Lac isn’t that bad” He said, before adding, “objectively at least. All he cares about is getting it over with” Orion said, hating that he had to tell her this. “ Just - don’t try to talk back.” He didn’t tell her that she would be getting the easier time out of the two of them. “ Du’lac likes to throw you around sometimes. Just don’t tense and try not to expose any vital arteries. It’ll be okay”

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Orion sighed, face pressed against his sisters hair. “ It’s gonna be okay Oly” He said, hoping that she couldn’t hear how little he believed it. “ Everyones gone through detention before, everyone knows how much it sucks” He continued, trying his best to sooth her, though his best wasn’t very good. He pulled back at her last words, tilting her head up so he could stay her in the eye. “ We are the Stigers, and no one here has any right to judge us. Your house has no effect on your blood. You are better than them Olympia, remember that.” He said honestly. “ And if anyone thinks that this makes you lesser than I will teach them how wrong they are without a second thought”

“Orion, don’t hurt anybody for me, please. I couldn’t handle the guilt. If I can’t deal with pain, who am I to set it on others? This is something I have to handle myself,” Olympia sniffled. “That doesn’t mean it won’t be hard. The worst person I’ve ever dealt with is Ryder. The worst pain I’ve ever felt is when I fell as a child and scraped my knee. I can’t even imagine what this is going to do to me.”

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Orion fell silent, just hugging her. he didn’t have any answers, every thing she was saying was true. Orion spent so much time making sure that his sister was never harmed, and now he was the reason that she would suffer. “ You will survive” He answered at last. “ We are the Stigers and we will survive”

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Orion put himself between Du’Lac and Olympia, pulling his sleeve from her grasp to wrap an arm around her shoulders.  He waited until they turned a corner before he pulled her into a alcove and hugged her tight. “ Oh god Olympia, Im sorry, I’m so so sorry” He began to apologize, clinging to her. “ I’m sorry I should have thought I never wanted you to get detention”

“Orion,” Olympia cried, wrapping her arms around him. “Orion, I can’t do this. I can’t. I haven’t had a detention since first year, and even then I was barely scratched! I’ve behaved well every single day, and the one time I break one rule I get into trouble. I can’t go in there, I just can’t. People already hate me because I am a Gryffindor, what happens when I walk out of there all bruised and bloodied? What am I going to do?” 

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Orion sighed, face pressed against his sisters hair. “ It’s gonna be okay Oly” He said, hoping that she couldn’t hear how little he believed it. “ Everyones gone through detention before, everyone knows how much it sucks” He continued, trying his best to sooth her, though his best wasn’t very good. He pulled back at her last words, tilting her head up so he could stay her in the eye. “ We are the Stigers, and no one here has any right to judge us. Your house has no effect on your blood. You are better than them Olympia, remember that.” He said honestly. “ And if anyone thinks that this makes you lesser than I will teach them how wrong they are without a second thought”

[zelda-oreagan-tbd-blog]

“You’d almost think I was a Gryffindor.” She laughed, stepping inside.

[orion-stiger-blog]

“Blasphemy!” Orion joked, following her inside. The door closed behind him and he sighed slightly, relaxing as the familiar scents surrounded him. 

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“I did say ‘almost’.” Zelda laughed, pecking his cheek.

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Orion smiled, leading her past the walls of instruments and towards the wall of music in the back. “ So, what do you usually listen to?”

[olympia-stiger-blog]

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The professor looked between the two, a nasty smile beginning to appear. “ Well, the Stigers. I must say, I wouldn’t have taken you two be the rule breaking type.” Orion flinched slightly, but tried to make an excuse. “ It’s my fault, I needed to talk to Olympia. We were just leaving” He said, shifting his weight to block his sister from view as best he could. It didn’t help. “ While I’m sure you had an excellent reason, both of you are going to have to go to detention for this” The professor said, openly smiling now. “ Seven o clock. Lets see, we clearly can’t have you together, so Orion, you go to Plumbsteele, and Olympia, you will be with me.”  Orion tensed, but stayed silent, knowing it wouldn’t do any good. 

Olympia held her breath throughout the entire ordeal. She couldn’t have spoken if the professor had asked her to. From the second he started to smile, Olympia felt sick to her stomach. Her palms grew sweaty and she had to bite her tongue to keep from crying out. This was a moment she had been dreading since she got out of her one and only detention in first year. “Yes, Professor Du’Lac,” she said, even quieter and meeker than usual.  It was hard to stay calm and collected as fear surged through her body. She clung tightly to Orion’s sleeve and started to walk, taking him with her. Olympia looked at the ground submissively as she passed the Professor and exited the room.

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Orion put himself between Du’Lac and Olympia, pulling his sleeve from her grasp to wrap an arm around her shoulders.  He waited until they turned a corner before he pulled her into a alcove and hugged her tight. “ Oh god Olympia, Im sorry, I’m so so sorry” He began to apologize, clinging to her. “ I’m sorry I should have thought I never wanted you to get detention”

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Orion just let his sister cry, holding her tightly. “No, it wasn’t your fault, none of it was your fault” He said, clutching her. “ You said it yourself, he manipulates people, thats all he does. We’re fine, we’ll be ok. We can figure this out and get around him” He promised, mind whirring. His next words however, were cut off by the opening of the door. Orion spun around, pushing Olympia behind him. At the sight of the professor in the doorway, his heart dropped. 

Olympia continued to force her face into his shoulder, too ashamed to look him in the eyes as he comforted her. At the sound of the creaking door, Olympia tensed. She knew exactly what it meant. Orion pushed her behind him before Olympia had the chance to react. Her heart nearly pounded out of her chest as she tried to think of something, anything, to get out of the current situation. She quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes. “Professor,” she began and ended, realizing there was no escape from the inevitable. 

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The professor looked between the two, a nasty smile beginning to appear. “ Well, the Stigers. I must say, I wouldn’t have taken you two be the rule breaking type.” Orion flinched slightly, but tried to make an excuse. “ It’s my fault, I needed to talk to Olympia. We were just leaving” He said, shifting his weight to block his sister from view as best he could. It didn’t help. “ While I’m sure you had an excellent reason, both of you are going to have to go to detention for this” The professor said, openly smiling now. “ Seven o clock. Lets see, we clearly can’t have you together, so Orion, you go to Plumbsteele, and Olympia, you will be with me.”  Orion tensed, but stayed silent, knowing it wouldn’t do any good. 

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Orion stopped, everything in him crumbling at the sight of Olympias tears. Swearing, he reached out and pulled her into a rough hug, wrapping himself around her. “ No , please Oly, I;m sorry, I didn’t mean it” he whispered, tightening his arms. “ I didn’t mean any of it, we can fix it, I just don’t want to see you hurt” He said rapidly, all anger gone.  “I know, its not your fault, I just got scared, I’m sorry I just can’t ever see you hurt because of me”

Olympia leaned her head into Orion as she was enveloped in his arms. The tears were still flowing, covering the shoulder of his shirt. “No, no,” she shook her head. “I should have known, I should have done something, anything, to stop him. He frightens me, Orion. He knows that and he used it against me, and now you, and-” Olympia was cut off as another fit of sobs escaped from her lips.

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Orion just let his sister cry, holding her tightly. “No, it wasn’t your fault, none of it was your fault” He said, clutching her. “ You said it yourself, he manipulates people, thats all he does. We’re fine, we’ll be ok. We can figure this out and get around him” He promised, mind whirring. His next words however, were cut off by the opening of the door. Orion spun around, pushing Olympia behind him. At the sight of the professor in the doorway, his heart dropped. 

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Orion barked out a laugh, clearly disbelieving her. “Saving me? SAVING ME?” He screamed  back, bitter and angry. “ Olympia you doomed the both of us!” He cried back, not caring about the noise level. “ Do you know what he did? He told me that while my life might be safe yours wasn’t” Orion yelled, grabbing Olympia by the arms. “ You just made his little games easier! He has you on a leash and the second I do something he doesn’t like he will KILL you Olympia!” He yelled, trying to make her understand

Olympia couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. “I’m sorry, okay?!” she yelled back. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him. I could only follow his orders. He’s making me go after the rebels because I’m a Gryffindor and he thinks I can work my way into their ranks. I couldn’t tell him no, or else he’d accuse me of being a traitor,” Olympia began to choke on her words. She didn’t even know if her rambling was making sense anymore. “I asked for one thing in return: your protection. I thought I was doing us a favor, Orion. It was all I could do.” 

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Orion stopped, everything in him crumbling at the sight of Olympias tears. Swearing, he reached out and pulled her into a rough hug, wrapping himself around her. “ No , please Oly, I;m sorry, I didn’t mean it” he whispered, tightening his arms. “ I didn’t mean any of it, we can fix it, I just don’t want to see you hurt” He said rapidly, all anger gone.  “I know, its not your fault, I just got scared, I’m sorry I just can’t ever see you hurt because of me”

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Some part of him, the part that spent his entire life keeping an eye out for his sister and standing up for her, winced. After this was all over, he would feel terrible about the look of fear in her eyes. Right now however, he was focused on his own fear and rage. 

“ What am I talking about?” He spat, advancing towards her. “ What am I fucking talking about? I’m talking about the fact that you just signed both of us over to CROWE of all people!” He yelled, slamming one hand on a nearby desk in rage.  How could she not understand the danger she was in now?

Olympia continued to step back away from Orion as he yelled at her. She jumped as he slammed his fist against the desk. She had never been so frightened of him in her life. “I signed us both over to Crowe?!” Olympia shouted back, surprised at the intensity of her own tone. “No, I was saving you from him!” she argued. “I don’t know who you heard this from or what they told you, but didn’t have a choice! Crowe has us all on strings and every once in a while he chooses to play puppeteer, you of all people have got to know that!”

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Orion barked out a laugh, clearly disbelieving her. “Saving me? SAVING ME?” He screamed  back, bitter and angry. “ Olympia you doomed the both of us!” He cried back, not caring about the noise level. “ Do you know what he did? He told me that while my life might be safe yours wasn’t” Orion yelled, grabbing Olympia by the arms. “ You just made his little games easier! He has you on a leash and the second I do something he doesn’t like he will KILL you Olympia!” He yelled, trying to make her understand

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Orion caught up in another few strides, grabbing at her sleeve. “ We need to talk” He snarled, venom in his voice. Flinging open the door to a class room, he waited for to get inside before slamming the door and beginning to pace, jaw clenched. “ I can not believe you” He snapped at last, spinning to face her. “ Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

Olympia let out a gasp as Orion grabbed at her. The way he spoke to her was unlike ever before, and she was terrified. He couldn’t have figured it out, Olympia hadn’t left a trace of her alliance with the Order anywhere he could find it. There was something else she must’ve done, anything else. When he spun and faced her, Olympia took a step back to keep her distance.

“Orion, what are you talking about!?” Olympia asked, her voice an octave higher than usual due to fright. “We can’t be alone in here, it’s against the rules.”

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Some part of him, the part that spent his entire life keeping an eye out for his sister and standing up for her, winced. After this was all over, he would feel terrible about the look of fear in her eyes. Right now however, he was focused on his own fear and rage. 

“ What am I talking about?” He spat, advancing towards her. “ What am I fucking talking about? I’m talking about the fact that you just signed both of us over to CROWE of all people!” He yelled, slamming one hand on a nearby desk in rage.  How could she not understand the danger she was in now?

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                                          ——–Time Skip——-

Orion stormed down the halls, tensed and conflicted. Anger and worry and guilt surged within him, and he was on the hunt for his sister. Seeing a flash of blonde hair, he increased his pace, focused on hauling aside his sister. 

Olympia had just finished her last class of the day and was heading up to the Gryffindor common room. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of her beloved brother, who was obviously irritated. She slowed down without looking back to let him catch up to her, without any idea that the cause of his anger was her own actions.

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Orion caught up in another few strides, grabbing at her sleeve. “ We need to talk” He snarled, venom in his voice. Flinging open the door to a class room, he waited for to get inside before slamming the door and beginning to pace, jaw clenched. “ I can not believe you” He snapped at last, spinning to face her. “ Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”